It is common to form the ends of large stuffed products such as bologna and the like by gathering the stuffed casing towards the longitudinal axis of the stuffed product and then applying two longitudinally spaced closures, usually metal clips, to the gathered casing. A first closure forms the trailing end of one stuffed product and the second closure forms the leading end of a succeeding stuffed product. Between the two closures is a gathered section of casing which is severed to separate the stuffed products. The gathered casing between the closures is sometimes referred to as a "tail".
It is not uncommon for some portion of food product to become trapped in the casing tail. This is objectionable for several reasons. It wastes food product which otherwise could be used to make a stuffed product. Also, when the casing tail is severed, the food product in the casing tail is exposed. This is unsightly and is a source of contamination.
Various means are employed to rid the casing tail of food product. One common practice is to use a clipper assembly which has two longitudinally spaced clipping devices. The assembly closes about the stuffed casing and the clipping devices apply the two closures. Closing the assembly about the stuffed casing squeezes the volume of food product in the longitudinal section of stuffed casing between the two clipping devices. Some of the food product which is squeezed is displaced ahead into the stuffed casing and some is displaced back to the stuffing horn. This leaves a constricted length of casing about which the two longitudinally spaced closures are applied.
The squeezing action does not necessarily displace all the food product from the squeezed section of stuffed casing and it is possible for some portion of food product to remain in the casing tail. Also, the displacement of a volume of food product ahead into the stuffed casing may over stuff the casing causing either the casing or the closure to fail.
Another common practice for removing food product from the casing tail is to close two pairs of thin plates or voider gates about the stuffed casing. The two pairs of voider gates are positioned close together to minimize the volume of food product which is displaced when the gates close about the stuffed casing. After closing, the two pairs of voider gates move axially apart to displace food product and create a relatively food-free constricted section of casing. Displacement of food product either ahead into the stuffed product or back to the stuffing horn is controlled by the relative movement of one or both of the pairs of gates.
The gates move apart a distance sufficient to accommodate the clipper assembly between them. The closed gates hold the constricted section of casing while the clipper assembly closes about the constricted casing to apply the closures.
Voider gates used in this fashion are forced against the stuffed casing. Since the gates are relatively thin, forcing them against the stuffed casing may damage the casing directly beneath the gates or the gates may even cut through the casing thereby releasing the food product.